When we were first asked to analyze the Spike Lee movie Bamboozled and determine who the trickster in the movie is I thought that the manager was it. After I thought about it for a little bit I came to the conclusion that both the manager and Pierre, the main character, are tricksters.
Pierre is a trickster in the beginning because his intent with the creation of the show was to make something so racist and bad that he'd be fired which was the only way to escape his contract. He even attempted to guide his boss into hating it and firing him. As the movie progressed and he started to become proud of his acheivement he started using information and words to control Mantan, actually named Manray, into continuing to work on the show by giving him information with his own spin on it. He starts out in a positive light as someone trying to escape and turns down a darker path by using his skills to control others. On Pierre's part the trickster is sort of like a poison which starts out as benign and harmless but turns the infected person into a corrupted shell as it spreads.
The manager, represented as Pierres boss, is a trickster the entire movie. He uses words to manipulate Pierre's opinions and actions until he eventually completely corrupts and controls Pierre's personality. It doesn't seem that he wanted Pierre to fall to the metaphysical dark side but more like it was a sort of accident or unintended consequence. The manager was portrayed as "out of control" he didn't seem able to control his manipulative personality and it was more impulsive than thought out. He seemed caught up in the moment for lack of a better phrase.
Spike Lee was representing the trickster as a compulsive and uncontrolled individual even as they control the people around them. I strongly disagree with that assumption and take great insult with it as I am in almost complete control myself. It was a strong hit to my pride in other words. If I identify with anyone in that movie however it would be the manager but it would be a very loose connection with very little grounding.
Good analysis as Pierre as the Trickster figure. I never thought about way he uses information as it relates to Sloan and Manray, but you're right, he is manipulative.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'd consider Dunwitty, the manager, a true Trickster because of his powerful position. But he does display a shifting identity that is a mark of the Trickster.